Thousands of vehicles were reported stolen each year. In Australia alone, 53,450 vehicles were stolen between year 2013 -2014. An averaged at least 146.4 vehicles per day consisting of light / commercial vehicles, motorcycles and others.

Although there is a decline in car stealing incidents, it is still happening and recovery statistics had increased. What shall we do? There are a lot of ways to prevent car theft or recover quickly stolen vehicle. One of it is to install a vehicle anti-get-away device.

Vehicle Anti-Get-Away Device will disable your vehicle in few minutes while driven when your car is stolen and if the device is activated. Your stolen vehicle can't be driven in a far distance. That means it would be easy to locate the vehicle.

If someone would point a gun unto you and ask for your car keys, just give it and don't hesitate. The thief will drive your vehicle with the device activated and it won't be long until the engine will stall and the vehicle will stop running. At least you are safe because you've given the car keys without resistance. Just imagine if you don't have a device like this installed. You would fight for your car and you could be killed and your car would be hard to recover too. Well you might think, what about the immobilizer built into the vehicle itself? Immobilizer system is your first line of defense but if someone will point a gun or knife at you asking for car keys, definitely the immobilizer security system is breached and you are helpless and in danger!!!. At least, with this device, you have secondary protection that works for you and your safety.

As i was reading more into this report from https://ncars.on.net/docs/annual/annual_2013_14_we... I understood out that; vehicles fitted with immobilizer has greater number than vehicle without immobilizer. The data below justifies that immobilizer system is not so secured, so therefore there is a need for other security devices as a secondary line of defense in case of breach in immobilizer security.

This device is easy to build and easy to install. This can be installed into any type or brand of vehicle as long as you knew where to connect.

Note: Consult a professional electrician before installing this device. Install at your own risks. This device has not been thoroughly tested. I won't be responsible for any any damage caused.

Step 1: Materials

To build this device, we would need few things like:

1. Relay Module

The relay module will enable or disable the vehicle with the command of the Arduino.

2. Beetle/Arduino

The Beetle Arduino will activate the timer whenever a theft condition is exists.

3. DC/DC converter

the DC/DC converter will step down the 12V supply from vehicle battery into 5V that the Arduino requires.

4. 1K resistor

1K resistor will be used as pull-up resistor to prevent damaged into the into input pin

5. Switch

The switch is the triggering device. This is to be hidden in a location only you who knows where to find it. Install this switch in a place where it is convenient for you but not easy to find for the thief.

Step 2: Programming

The Arduino compatible Beetle from DFRobot is programmed using Arduino IDE by selecting Arduino Leonardo in the Arduino IDE. Tools>Board> Arduino Leonardo.

The “Beetle” is a miniaturized version of Arduino Leonardo, and has same powerful functionalities as Leonardo that is why I like this device. It's tiny but has incredible capabilities.

Step 3: The Sketch

This sketch is a modified version of the timer sketch which I found from this website. That's the good thing about Arduino. There are a lot of examples and help from the community of makers and thinkers.

Step 4: Wiring and Installation

Once you have all the parts together, follow the connections in the diagram provided. You can assemble this as one package then install into your vehicle. This device is so flexible. It can be connected into any circuit in the vehicle that you think it would be easy for you but still serve its purpose. Don't forget to consult the Electrical Wiring Diagram for your vehicle for detailed wiring information before attempting to install this device into your car yourself. Ask help from an Automotive Electrician if possible to avoid damaging your vehicle.

Step 5: Suggestions for Installation

For petrol engines, you can connect this to the fuel pump circuit or ignition circuit. This way, either there would be no fuel supply or spark to the plugs. The engine will then stop running.

For diesel engines, you can connect this into the fuel metering valve circuit. Fuel metering valve is located into the high pressure pump mounted in the engine itself.

In this instructable, the device was connected to the fuel pump. Here are the steps:

1. Consult the wiring diagram in order to determine which part in the circuit is easy for me to connect the device.

2. Locate the fuel pump harness in the floor of the vehicle. I cut the supply wire (the red wire before the fuel pump; see the wiring diagram attached) and connect another wire which then I can connect to the relay. One of the wire will be connected to the common terminal of the relay and the other will be connected to the normally closed (NC) terminal of the relay. In this way, if the device is deactivated, the break in the line will be connected back inside the relay connection. If the device is active, the relay will activate and opens the NC contact of the relay, shutting the fuel pump. Fuel supply to the engine will be cut-off and engine will stop running.

3. Connect the power supply to any voltage source that will only exist when ignition switch is "ON position".

4. Connect 12V supply to the relay.

5. Connect the trigger wire from relay to the control board.

6. Connect the trigger and install in a hidden location that only you would know.

7. Load the software using Arduino IDE.

Note: Be sure to remove the 12V power supply from the vehicle or disconnect the device from the vehicle before programming. I'm not sure what will happen but just a caution to everyone.

8. Test the operation.

Any comment, feedback or if you need help in building this instructable, please comment below. I will try to help you out the best that i could in the best possible time. thank you. Please vote for this instructable.

Plastics Contest

Optics Contest

Make it Glow Contest 2018

33 Discussions

Hate to be 'that guy' but if you deliberately disable the vehicle whilst in motion ( thus disable brake boost and power steering) and this causes an accident (due to loss of control) you can be liable for damages claims among other things. This would be best suited to waiting until the vehicle has stopped (say at traffic lights) and THEN disables the engine. Something like this could be managed by modifying an after market cruise control kit eg; Set a timer to count down, when it reaches 0 it then waits for a 0v signal from an rpm sensor on the drive shaft. Imagine a car traveling at 100km/h and loosing brake boost/power steering? Great idea you have but would love to see more thought on the safety side of things. I know there is a nice comment policy here but this concept in its current form almost guarantees a fatal accident.

I agree. now we are talking real world designs here. You have a good point which i never thought before. you got me thinking. I'll take this as positive comment because it makes sense. However in this instructable, fuel pump circuit has the most convenient location. In real world, the device should not stop the vehicle straight away. Since you lose fuel supply, first it will be no power response then it will stall then vehicle will stop. No vehicle will stop instantly when engine dies while driving. Manufacturer had this in mind in their design of the powertrain for safety purposes. When engine dies, vehicle will continue moving due to inertia until you lose speed and come to a halt. Thank you hsvenforcer.

Working off your idea you could build in 2 timers one cuts fuel (original) and the 2nd at a pre determined time when car starts to spurt and this is aprox have the fuel signal come back on for a second and do this for 10 cycles every 30 seconds this would give the thief a chance to safely pull the car over the car would go into a limp home mode.

i do think hsenfocer has a good point and i will try to test his idea and when to implement it. i just thought that the thief could have gone far and the vehicle would be very hard to find. however a gps tracker and sms can be used to solve this idea too. thank you.

This is a nice low-cost idea but needing access to the kill switch is a problem for most theft situations. most are non confrontational and the ones that are probably won't give you the opportunity to hit the switch. phase 2, include a cellular data only card or Bluetooth or wifi for remote action! :^)

Tip: Make a fully Closed Steel Box (Quite Like Black Box).After everything is working, screw the box (or boxes) in your vehicle hard access place(s), mount the boards, Solder the Boxes (Wich will make access impossible without cuting them - you can do this before).

I know the ide is harsh... But seems Good in the way it makes it hard to steal.

Tip: Make a fully Closed Steel Box (Quite Like Black Box).After everything is working, screw the box (or boxes) in your vehicle hard access place(s), mount the boards, Solder the Boxes (Wich will make access impossible without cuting them - you can do this before).

I know the ide is harsh... But seems Good in the way it makes it hard to steal.

thank you. these would be the next improvement for this device.i actually had a separate device on development that utilizes different ways to disable the vehicle and all of them had advantages and disadvantages. for example, the cellular, it's hard when there is no signal, no credit or your phone is in the stolen vehicle as well.

Better than a RFID, which is somehow expensive and cumbersome, I think a RF proximity switch to replace the physical switch, so, if you go away from the car and take the emitter with you –which you should always carry with you-, it triggers the countdown, so you can run safely from the bad guys, knowing that your car will inexorably run off and useless for them.

I agree. I'm building na idea so far. And reached the same conclusion.

I'm too poor for most of these things xD so icannot afford to try most of the stuff i have in mind (including parts of this DIY)... But i'm full of great ideas that can help out.

RF ID Proximity is a good option, BUT in my opinion it cannot be used alone.OK...1 RF ID Can and Shall be used to identify "a Person" (Suposed to be the Owner / Master).

But to unlock "stuff" including ignition you should implement some other way (harder to jamm/hack).I Thought in:

- Wireless "Equipments": Butthey fail as they are "Easily" Hackeable.- RF ID: Alone will fail. But lets think far grater. If everyone has their own RF ID the Vehicle can Recognize it as a Person.

If someone tried to Jamm it, something else should replace as fail system.Initially i though in a fingerprint engine start. With "Service Mode" accessed only by "MASTER". (So you can let your Mechanic Use your car). I never had such equipment in hands so i have no idea where it could fail.

Beyhond my knowledge i would say: You need Some hardware to "Random Generated Code Encryption Code" that would randomly regenerate to "Remote" and "Box".Yet. Always considering everthing is hackeable.Maybe the solution lies into making things more aceessible to people. So the Motives to "Steal" disapear.